Human Synergistics host lunch and learn on leadership and development

02 May Human Synergistics host lunch and learn on leadership and development

By Wendy Lamond
Human Synergistics hosted a lunch and learn at the St. Marys Golf and Country Club April 19 to teach business owners about leadership and what they can do to help inspire, develop, and encourage innovation and better performance.
Having good leadership saves costs on staff turnovers, equipment issues, production problems and operation methods. Andrea Macko, marketing and communications specialist, welcomed the group and gave the history behind Human Synergistics, a business on James Street South many are unaware of.
Human Synergistics specialises in developing leadership strategies, ongoing education, team programs and individual behavioural styles. They do this by providing leadership tools, hosting workshops and working with companies on constructive thinking.
Human Synergistics Canada opened in 1982 and it was in the mid 1990s that CEO Alan Stewart made the decision to move the business back to his hometown of St. Marys so he could raise his family, be part of his community and work at a healthier pace.
The business’ history has included working with some large corporations such as Loblaws, WestJet, Tim Hortons, RBC and the Department of National Defence, as well as many local organizations that were represented at the lunch and learn.
Stewart spoke as well about the roles of leaders and how they get to be at the top of their game, and the effect they have on their teams. Stewart says natural leaders are not born, they are taught, which is where Human Synergistics comes into play.
The company offers a variety of coaching packages and leadership tools from a basic level up to a CEO level in both the public and private sector.
Lori Wolfe, CAO of Perth County, shared with the group her experiences working with Human Synergistics. Wolfe works with several organizations and the purpose of her role is to ensure the long-term sustainability of the companies.
She has seen poor leadership at all levels and the tools she took away from Human Synergistics helped her work with staff on making better decisions and how to solve conflicts effectively. One tool she used and found beneficial was OCI, which stands for Organizational Culture Inventory. It provides data on organizational culture, what is causing it and the outcomes from it. Basically, it is influence on how an organization goes about executing its existing strategy and how it adapts to change.
President and general manager of the St. Marys Golf and Country Club Matt Staffen also shared his experience with Human Synergistics. The business helped Staffen host an off-site, team retreat where his employees had to work together to solve a problem which, in turn, strengthened relationships and taught better communication in the workplace.
“Our research shows that growing and developing your leaders is one of the fastest ways to strengthen your organization and culture and ensure the long-term viability of your organization,” Human Synergistics director Kate Stewart said.
The company offers many training and coaching packages and, if it is something your business is interested in pursuing, Human Synergistics is offering a 20 per-cent discount to companies that are located in the area until the end of the year.
For more information about the services Human Synergistics offers, reach out to Stewart at 519-284-4135 or kate@hscanada.ca. There is also information available on their website www.hscanada.ca.